Media Accent Walls

“What is a grand way to add a focal point in my great room and still have room for my television?” is a question you may be asking yourself. Quite popular with our clients in the greater Orlando area is designing a unique media wall. We convert drywall built-ins, plain wall TV walls, and ginormous TV cabinets into more clean and transitional design. There are several different ways to go about creating one of these gorgeous accents in your own home. These are possible in a range of budgets and are easy to tailor to your exact style. There are many ways to create a beautiful media wall, but I want to focus on three specific applications: Stone/tile, wallpaper, and paint. I want to discuss many of the different kinds of media walls that can be constructed just for you.

Fireplace media walls are stunning. If you already have a fireplace then you should definitely incorporate it into the overall design. There are rules regarding the distance to the furniture and height of television. Working with an interior designer will help guide you on the do’s and don’ts. Once the design is complete you can then hire a trusted contractor to demo/install the job for you. First comes design, then you get bids on the job. Fireplaces are great focal points to begin with, they offer a perfect canvas for your media wall. You can surround a fireplace with any of the big three applications tile or stone, wallpaper, or paint. Tile works wonderfully with a fireplace and there are many different styles to choose from. Wallpaper can add pattern. Even paint can be done in fun ways to gracefully frame your fireplace and television. The television can be mounted above the fireplace so that you can enjoy both at the same time.

Built in shelves can give a home a lot of character. The shelves are also very helpful when building a media wall as well, especially when you have a fireplace. When you have a fireplace there is not a good spot to store movies and games because there is no media console to hold them and the television is mounted to the wall. Built-in shelves quickly solve that problem! With some shelving on both sides of your fireplace and television you can stow away everything that you need to and have it look good. Add a few accessories and you are good to go! You can use built in shelves with tile, wallpaper or paint. A wall with a fireplace, paint/tile/wallpaper, and built in shelves gives a dramatic look to any great room.

Tile

Tiled media walls are very attractive. Tile is a great option because it is classic and adds unique architecture. It is available in several finishes and sizes, but did you know the extent of how much there is available? With so many different types of tile available, you can use a wood tile that looks rustic, a marble tile that looks formal, or a travertine tile that looks Mediterranean, just to name a few examples. There is a tile style for everyone, no matter what you prefer. It can be very glam or very subtle. An interior designer can make a recommendation depending on budget. For example, we recently recommended a recycled boat wood mosaic tile for a client that will soon move into their forever home..cost was $35 per square foot. During the same week, we had a customer in a Mediterranean style home that already had travertine tile in the kitchen, therefore we added a rectangular size travertine $8 per square foot to her newly built TV entertainment media wall. Be sure to choose a tile that fits in with your home. Stay away from very modern tile if your home is traditional. As long as it fits your home’s style, whatever you choose will look superb.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper, what a fun option! If you want to talk about something for everyone, well here it is. Wallpaper comes in endless styles, colors, materials and textures. It comes in every style you can imagine: eclectic, shabby chic, coastal and many more. Different wallpaper is made out of different materials. You have your vinyl which is very cleanable and durable. Average paper weight wallpaper is great because it is more cost efficient due to the fact that you can order what you need without meeting the larger quantity minimums of vinyl. Vinyl wallpaper can sometimes be ordered in up to 54″ wide widths. Natural wallpaper is made from all natural materials like rice, jute, textiles and minerals. Many people ask us: “Wallpaper is so old-fashioned, why are you recommending it to us?” Because it is not old-fashioned anymore and it can make your home feel special and unique in any application. The wallpaper we replace which gives a bad name to wallpaper has small widths meaning 18″ seams and the wallpaper is thin- store bought. Much of what we specify for media walls, or any wall for that matter, is textured wallpaper that comes in 27″ wide-36″ wide. It is an exciting and appealing way to do wallpaper and it really offers your home something a little extra, some pizazz, if you will. Wallpaper absolutely adds a beautiful backdrop to your media wall and creates interest for the room’s focal point. The TV media wall is usually the longest wall in a family room and needs more than paint to fill the space when it’s over 10′ long. Something with as much visual interest as wallpaper draws the eye toward it, naturally creating the focal point that you are desiring.

Paint

Now paint may not seem as exciting as tile or wallpaper, but there are definitely some fun ways to use it. Faux finishing gives any wall an expensive look. Faux painting can be a weekend DIY project or you can hire a professional. There are many finishing techniques to choose like venetian plaster, metallic, and stone finishes. You can even find tutorials on how to properly execute these finishes. Another way to use paint is to do a pattern. Painter’s tape is always your friend! Using the tape you can do stripes, chevrons, geometric designs and more. Check out some examples online and find something that appeals to you. Then put your own spin on it to make it your own.

There are many ways to do a media accent wall. Fireplaces and built in shelves make a statement and add character while tile, wallpaper and paint add the visual interest every space needs. When deciding on how you are going to design your media wall be sure to consider the style of your home so that it is congruent with the rest of your space. If you need any assistance with the selection of materials, determining your home’s style or installation, contact your local interior design professional. They can assist you with making the right decisions for your media accent wall.